Friday, 7 November 2014

8 November 2014

Collects

Prayers
developed from the daily readings

Saturday 8 November
2014

Morning
Prayer

Psalms 20 and 21: 1 – 7 (8 – 13)

The first psalm begins as a bidding prayer asking that
the King’s prayers be heard and answered. God is the one in whom the community
trusts, not men or chariots. The second psalm takes this theme of the power
being with God and the King’s dependence on God in all things.

Nehemiah 13: 15 – 31

Nehemiah prays that God will remember him for his good
deeds including his insistence that the Sabbath not be compromised even if that
meant closing the city gates at dark and not opening them until the day is over
and his fierce advocacy against mixed marriages since the women and their
children will bring in their own gods.

Matthew 22: 15 – 33

Pharisees and Herodians try to trick Jesus by asking
is it lawful to pay tax to the Roman Emperor. Jesus calls them hypocrites and
asks for a coin. Jesus asks whose head is on the coin and whose title – Jewish
coins were minted with no images on them. It is the Emperor’s head. Jesus says
give to the Emperor what is his and to God what is God’s. They are amazed.

Sadducees come to Jesus saying there is no
resurrection. Using a law about brothers being required to marry the widow of
another brother, they construct a scenario where this happens seven times. They
want to know who is the true husband in the resurrection. Jesus tells them they
are wrong in their understanding of the resurrection – no one marries or is
married, instead all are like angels. Further, he quotes scripture where God
says, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” they are and God is.
God is the God of the living not the dead. The hearers are astounded.

Collect for
Morning Prayer

Kangaroo at dawnArmadale WA 2014 L Osburn

Almighty God you are the God of the living, all creation is
yours and all power is with you. Help us we pray to keep our concerns to the
here and now. To be faithful and steadfast in this moment and to bring our
doubts and concerns to you so that we too are amazed and astounded by the way
your love works in our lives through Jesus
Christ Your Son our Lord and Your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

Saturday 8
November 2014

Evening
Prayer

Psalms 24 and 26

The Lord of hosts is the King of glory, is the focus
of this psalm. The world and everything in it is God’s. Those who aspire to
heaven are the pure and righteous.

The second psalm is from a person who is faithful and
has integrity and who has been falsely accused. The psalm asks God to look
inside and to bring redemption.

Daniel 12

Daniel hears from the angel further tribulations and
trials to come and the resurrection but not of everyone: some will go to
everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt. The timing is unclear.
Daniel is to keep quiet about this vision and Daniel is reassured that he will rise
for his reward at the end of days.

Revelation
2: 18 – 29

John is
to write to the church in Thyatira (home of Lydia the dealer in purple cloth).
The people are praised for their faith, service and patient endurance. However
there is a woman who is a false prophet and has swayed some to idolatry. She
and her followers will not survive. But those who are faithful are to have no
more burdens placed on them. Instead at the end they will have authority, will
be with Christ the morning star.

Collect for
Evening Prayer

Gum blossoms at dawnArmadale WA 2014 L Osburn

Holy and almighty God you are the king of glory and Jesus is
the morning star, the one we look to as we wait for your new dawn. Be with us
all in times of difficulties and trails. Help us to be faithful, patient and
enduring in our service to you, and to avoid any type of idolatry so that when
you look within us we will know your reassuring love, your joy and your peace through Jesus Christ our Lord and
Saviour. Amen.